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SPORTS A19
Saturday 12 December 2015
Having huge season, Julio Jones struggling to reach end zone
PAUL NEWBERRY 1 against Tampa Bay, on Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Sterling Moore (26) knocks into Jones’ scoring chanc-
AP Sports Writer an 8-yard pass in the clos- a pass away from Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) es. Since Atlanta isn’t likely
FLOWERY BRANCH, Georgia ing seconds that sent the in the end zone during the second quarter of an NFL football to pound the ball into the
(AP) — Julio Jones is having game to overtime — but game Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Tampa, Fla. Jones is having end zone, defenses can
another monster season for that’s just the way he’s another monster season for the Atlanta Falcons. stack their coverages to-
the Atlanta Falcons. wired. Strangely, though, he hasn’t scored a touchdown in more than ward No. 11.
Strangely, though, he “If you ask me the last a month. The Falcons, at 6-6 in wins
hasn’t scored a touchdown catch I had over 10 yards, I and losses, have ruined a
in more than a month. really don’t know,” he says. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco) 5-0 start, plummeted out
Mired in a five-game losing “I just try to do my job.” of a playoff spot and face
streak, the Falcons are hop- By every other standard, to go deep — there aren’t receiver with 58, followed the daunting task of trying
ing for that disturbing trend Jones is having one of the too many other Falcons by tight end Jacob Tamme to turn things around with
to change when they face best receiving seasons in they have to worry about. at 47. The next actual re- two games still remaining
the unbeaten Carolina the history of the NFL. He Certainly not among the ceiver on the list is Rod- against the Panthers, in-
Panthers on Sunday. leads the league with 102 wideouts, where Jones has dy White with a mere 30 cluding Sunday’s contest
“I was really surprised,” catches and 1,338 yards, accounted for 56 percent catches. in Carolina.
coach Dan Quinn says. putting him on pace for of all receptions. Running The lack of an effective A few more big plays from
“He’s a huge part of what the second-most recep- back Devonta Freeman is running game, especially in Jones would help the
we do. We’re going to try tions (136, which would trail the team’s second-leading the red zone, has really cut cause.
to use him in the very best only Marvin’s Harrison re- “It’s definitely something
ways, and keep attacking cord of 143 set in 2002) and we’re trying to do, but it
every shot we get. We ex- the third-most yards (1,784, gets harder and harder
pect him to be the focus of topped only by Calvin each week,” offensive co-
all the stuff that we want” Johnson’s 1,964 in 2012 and ordinator Kyle Shanahan
to do. Jerry Rice’s 1,848 in 1995). said. “The tighter you get
Jones shrugged off his four- After putting up four touch- in the red zone, the more
game scoring drought, downs in Atlanta’s first three double coverage he sees,
saying he doesn’t pay at- games, Jones has just two the more people are tak-
tention to individual statis- in the last nine contests. ing him out. But there’s
tics. Sure, he can’t remem- Defenses know if they can really not a play we have
ber the last time he scored shut down Jones — or at that we’re not looking to-
a touchdown — it was Nov. least limit his opportunities ward him first.”q
